The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-06-04
EXERCISE.
How to Play and How to Work Wisely
and Well.

and Well.
DEAR BOYs:-It hardly seems needful
to tell you that you need plenty Of good
and healthy, yet possibly if we empha-
size the adjectives some what, and say
that good and wholesome exercise is
not so common as violent and I'M
healthy action, possibly you will better
understand the reason | write this let
ter to you. Very few of you, l sup
pose, neglect to play every day in the
open air. The most quiet and studiOus
among you enjoys a good run as well
as the one who makes play the object of
existence.
But how to play and how to work
well and wisely are what most boys
need to learn. Only this morning lit
tie Ted came running in, throwing off
his coat which landed upon the edge of
his chair, while his hat was tossed into
corner, and the mud upon his boots
left tracks upon the newly-wiped back
hall floor and over the mating of the
dining-room. Alas, in vain mother ex-
postulated. The little fellow was all
out of breath, and far too excited to
pay any heed to her wishes, so she had
to wait until he cooled down little
before asking him to be more careful,
and to wipe his boots upon the mat
before coming into the house.
1t does seem Il little hard that in this
big, free country, such little matters
as clean floors and tidy habits should
interfere with the full, free enjoyment
of the boys in any house, doesn't it?
But did you ever stop to think that
everybody has certain privileges, and
when you come in flushed and tired
with your violent exercise. that posi-
bly, you may forget that the servant is
equally tired with scrubbing, and the
mother with tidying up the home and
keeping it in order. So as looked at
little Teddie, l felt like telling all the
boys just what | told him:
"Play all you like, but just wait out
side until you get cooled down little
before coming into the house to rest,
for the home must be kept in decent
order"
There is the back shed, perhaps, or
the wood-house, or the back veranda,
at any rate, where you can wait until
YOU can come into the housein respect
able shape.
Then there is such thing as overdo-
ing the matter of exercise, getting too
much and too violent play. Be mod
crate, boys. When the muscles are
tired and lame, and you feel more like
resting than continuing at your play,
Just stop and rest, and not let your en-
thusiasm spur you on to renewed effort
which will in the end do you more
harm than good. 1t is marvellous what
a difference many boys find between
play and work in this matter. Any
work soon wearies them, although they
can play through the entire day and
never finch. And this is really men
tai disease which sometimes needs
rather stern discipline to cure. You
may be pretty sure, when the conflict
between work and play arises, that in
nine cases out of ten the work is the
exercise you most need, and don't i'm
agine yourself to be the tenth case,
either, for you will very likely be mis-
taken if you do.
Master Ted has certain regular chores
which he must do every day. He does
not altogether enjo: doing them, but
he is improving in this particular, and
after a time | expect he will really be
pleased to work. In fact caring for
hens has become a delight already, for
all the money he makes off his poultry
and eggs, after purchasing his boots
and shoes, is his own, and his store this
year has grown considerable, so much
so that he has INDUCED in new bicy-
Gle and still has nest egg left.
But the play for the love of play, and
for intercourse with companions, and
Just for fun, ought to have place in
every boys life for n part of every day.
Not n whole half day out of twenty
four by any means, but for a time, and
the amount of time ought to be regu-
lated by the fathers and mothers and
guardians of the boys, so that when the
hour is up they should quietly return
to tasks without grumbling. Oh, boys,
don't be afraid Of fun and frolic, and
out-of-door sports, but neither do you
let them SO absorb you that when the